Josh Richardson plays basketball for Tennessee, but the Edmond, Okla. native was back home this past weekend when tornadoes ravaged the Oklahoma City area. While Richardson and his family were unaffected by the tornadoes, his closest call came Sunday.

“I was at Gold’s Gym playing basketball with some other college guys I grew up with,” Richardson said per a team release. “When the sirens came on, they stuffed us all in a little office for a while. At first, I wasn’t really worried about anything because we always hear the tornado sirens.

“But when I walked outside with two of my friends to go home, we saw this giant swirly cloud in the sky not too far away. So we sped to my house, prayed with my family and it was a blessing (the tornadoes) missed us.”

That tornado missed Richardson, as did the more severe storm that hit Moore, Okla., which is 23 miles south of Edmond, on Monday. Richardson was resting in bed after getting his wisdom teeth pulled when the EF4 storm, with winds estimated at 166-200 mph, hit Moore. Vols coach Cuonzo Martin posted his gratefulness on Twitter upon hearing that Richardson was OK.

Richardson calls the destruction that blew through, “tragic.”

“But honestly, Oklahoma is one of the most helpful and community-oriented places I’ve ever been. I know we’ll bounce back.”

The American Red Cross is taking donations for storm victims. You can text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to relief efforts. Donations also can be made online at http://redcross.org.